Surfing is a sport that confounds popular wisdom. Most outsiders can marvel at the beauty of the ocean and the obvious joy that riding waves brings to the sport’s enthusiasts. But at the same time, most outsiders view surfing as inherently too dangerous.

            The most common question asked of surfers: “Aren’t you afraid of getting attacked by a shark?” Most surfers laugh at this question. Of course, no surfer desires to experience a shark bite. Most surfers would prefer to not even see a shark! But the bottom line is this: Surfers don’t worry about sharks because they are in the water to ride waves.

            If you interview a few surfers, you discover the secret of these aquatic daredevils. They will tell you that catching their first wave was a life-changing event. From the moment they caught their first wave, they were forever thereafter transformed. When catching a wave, surfers have a mystical experience in which they become one with the ocean. The board lifts up, the wind rushes past the ears, time stands still, and the surfers feel as though they are flying. This initial experience keeps every surfer coming back to the beach for more.

            Our biblical text describes a life-changing, paradigm-shifting, high-altitude encounter with the divine that forever shaped Jesus’ disciples into world changers. It gives us a glimpse into the future resurrection of Jesus. Christ’s followers remember this moment as Transfiguration Sunday.

            Our text follows on the heels of Jesus’ sublime conversation with his disciples at Caesarea Phili

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